Del Jones' Postive Vibes* – Court Is Closed(1973 USA Psychedelic, Funk)Full Album

Del Jones was a Philadelphia-born musician, poet, and civil rights activist who founded the fiery, proto-rap jazz-funk ensemble Positive Vibes. He is best known for his 1973 album Court Is Closed, which blended fierce spoken-word polemics with West African drumming and large brass arrangements.Early Life and ActivismRaised in West Philadelphia in an active, culturally conscious family, Del Jones emerged as a powerful orator and social justice leader during the Civil Rights era. Drawing parallels to The Last Poets and Gil Scott-Heron, his work addressed deep-seated community struggles, including the heroin epidemic and the systemic oppression faced by Black Americans. His lyrics and poetry were designed to instill cultural pride and self-awareness.Music and DiscographyIn 1973, Jones assembled an incredible backing band of Philadelphia musicians—with arrangements written by his uncle, jazz trumpeter Herbie Jones—to record his landmark project. The music uniquely intertwined jazz, funk, and African rhythms with biting, revolutionary spoken word.He self-released the album in two variations on his own Hikeka Records:Court Is Closed (1973): The raw, percussion-heavy, and fiery "psych mix."Del Jones' Positive Vibes (1973): The self-titled "soul mix," which was reordered, augmented with horn sections, and included bonus tracks.Rediscovery and LegacyDespite its brilliance, the record was a limited independent release and Jones never found the commercial support to keep his music career moving forward. He passed away in 2006, and his music was largely relegated to a local Philly secret.However, his legacy experienced a major revival years later when the crate-digging label Now-Again Records tracked down his family and released a comprehensive, remastered reissue of Court Is Closed. This retrospective attention secured his rightful place as a visionary pioneer who foreshadowed hip-hop and conscious rap. Court Is Closed 00:00 Inside Black America 08:57 Times Are Hard, Friends Are Few 13:20 Prelude To Hell 18:33 Needle N' Spoon 20:22 Cold Turkey 22:27 Personnel: Del Jones: Vocals; Tyrone Fisher: Guitar; Sam Brown: Guitar; Benny R. Mitchell: Bass; Jim Milton: Drums; Wayman Jones: Conga, Timbale, Miscellaneous Percussion, Backing Vocals; Len Cooper: Conga, Timbale; Leslie Burrs: Flute; Deke Jones: Backing Vocals.